The Exile Prince
by RougeBaron
Summary: Sequel to Off We Go... Five years later, Saskia leads a simple life in the Eastern Continent. Soon conflicts between the remnants of Neo Zenebas and an elite task force Rottiger follow her, complicated by rogues and opportunists that try to make the most of her unfortunate situations. Nothing is what it seems. Will her old friends help her? Or is it time to trust herself?
1. Prologue

**THE EXILE PRINCE**

**Second Stave of Romances of Saskia  
><strong>**by RougeBaron**

**Author's Note**

This is the sequel of **_Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder_**, a three-part chronicle of Saskia and her zoid pet in the turbulent world of Planet Zi. It is set 5 years after _**Off We Go**…_ ended. There is very little account about what's going on in Planet Zi on this period **(_Zoids Fuzors_ **doesn't state the year,** _Zoids NC0_ **is conventionally believed to be around 200 years after** _Guardian Force_**, and Battle Story stops around 2110). There is, however, **_Zoids VS_ **Video Game that tells the story after the defeat of Neo Zenebas and the construction of an elite task force Rottiger to wipe out the surviving forces of Neo Zenebas. So I'm taking some bits and pieces of **_Zoids VS_ **universe and combining them with Chaotic Century, Guardian Force, Battle Story, and Zoids Fuzors, into what becomes this story.

Saskia is still the main character. In this story Saskia is 23 years old. She is more mature and stable than in the first part. Some supporting characters will also make appearance, but there will be some new characters that will take the central stage. Although I the skeleton of this story is fixed, I could use some supporting characters from fans. (I know, I know, interactive is illegal, but nobody cares anymore). So if anybody's interested, you can submit your character and zoid to my PM. DO NOT leave it as a review. That place is for readers that really care about this story and want to leave support, encouraging words, critique or criticism. Again, if you want your guy/gal with his/her zoid to be a part of this story, send it to me through PM. Be as detail as you want, I may make a sketch of him/her in my _deviantArt_ account (for those who don't know me, I also draw scenes from my stories).

I also want to try new writing style. I have been watching a lot of** _Spartacus_ **series on STARZ (now on rerun in SyFy). If you follow **_Spartacus_** the series, you'll notice a lot of influence of _**Spartacus**_ in this story. Don't worry, this story is still rated T. I will leave out the violence, gore, and sex for the Director's Cut.

I hope you enjoy this second part.

_Zoids_ and all its components are copyright of Takara, Tomy, and Hasbro. All rights reserved

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><p><strong><span>PROLOGUE<span>**

**_Redmond's Ale Bar,  
><em>_New Helic City, Helic Republic,  
><em>_Delpoi Continent, Planet Zi,  
><em>_November 13, 2127_**

It was just typical after-hour mundanity at Redmond's. It was the end of the first shift so blue- and white-collar workers intermingled in the bar with liquor as their glue. The alcoholic beverage was not special, but after a long day at the office (with horrible bosses looking over their shoulders at every possible opportunitie) everybody just absolved mediocrity. _Everything looks good when you're drunk_.

Alas, the monotony was broken when a man entered the bar. His attire – black shroud that covered his entire body sans his boots – immediately stood out among a sea of business casual and jacket-and-tie outfit that was the norm in the bar. His air, hanging free on the front but perking up at the back of his head in strawberry blondness, was the antithesis of typical combover hairstyle that monopolized the other customers. And his crucifix earring on his left ear highlit the fact that he didn't belong in the office or factory environment like most of the customers did.

The man stood steady at the door, sweeping the bar with his eyes, trading stare with some customers that dared to investigate him or give him prejudice look, then proceeded to the bartender. There were two empty seats, sandwiched by a group of office workers who were deep into political conversation. Upon his arrival, the office workers decided to leave the counter for a table far from the bartender. Whether they were intimidated by the stranger's presence or afraid of what they might hear, it was everyone's guess.

"What can I get you, fair gentleman?" the bartender greeted him warmly.

"Scotch, straight up," the man replied with a monotone, almost unenthusiastic manner.

"Say, what brings you Redmond's?" the bartender tried to open a conversation while mixing his drink.

"It's premature to play the snooping card at the first drink, don't you think?" the man said with a smirk.

"I did nothing as such," the bartender replied nonchalantly. He poured the mix into a glass and gave it to the stranger. "But you know what they say, _in vino veritas_. In wine there lies the truth. I am the only wine guy within 5 mile radius. If you are looking for peculiarities, and obviously you are, I may be able to help. It may save you considerable effort asking around."

"Now you're being prejudiced," the stranger took all liquor in one swig. "Why do you think I'm looking for peculiarities?"

"Are you saying you're not?" the bartender smiled.

"As a matter of fact, I am," the stranger yielded. "But what reward are you expecting for said service?"

"It depends on what you are looking for," the bartender's smile grew wider. "Brothel house? A few coins will suffice. I know which one to go and which one to avoid."

"Bah! Brothel house!" the stranger chuckled curtly. "I have no taste in public vaginas, much less the women that are attached to them. I am looking for a zoid." He drew a holo-video from inside his pocket and put it on the table. "A very _peculiar_ zoid."

The holo-video lit up and a hologram of a zoid took shape. It was of a dragon shape, with hooked metallic bars as its horns, a train of white teeth adorning its overstretched sneer, assorted cannons on its neck, two large cannons and a jagged-edged disc on its wings, and a long tail with sharp blades at the tip. Six booster exhausts were attached to the hip of the zoid.

"That's a _Gilvader_," the bartender mused. His stare turned suspicious, and his tone became sour. "Why are you looking for this kind?"

"Do not answer my question with another question," the man snarled. His eyes flared up with unequivocal impatience. "Have you seen it or not?"

"Actually I did," the bartender was taken aback by the sudden flame. "It was five years ago, here, in New Helic City. You know what happened, do you?"

"I don't," the stranger calmed himself. He threw some money on the table. "Enlighten me."

"Five years ago the Helic Republic was in a state of despondency," the bartender collected the money. "A military rogue named General Krauser was poised to take control of the Republic. He spread lies about the Guardian Force, incited unrest among the citizens of the Republic, and even plotted a military coup to unseat the President and the Senate. But when all hopes were lost, the _Gilvader_ appeared, reinforced by old-time war heroes, broke Krauser's plan and killed him. Days later the _Gilvader_ and the war heroes were beatified at the palace. That was the last time anybody ever saw it."

"Who captained the _Gilvader_?" the stranger asked.

"Some said it was a daughter of a Helic casualty during Krauser's campaign. Nobody knew for sure. She disappeared just like the way she came: right into the mist of Delpoi."

"A girl?" the stranger leaned back on his chair. "A girl captained the _Gilvader_?"

"That's the only fact I have, and even so I am at the mercy of my own doubt," the bartender sighed.

"I take it that you don't know how I can ask for the presence of said girl," the stranger groused. "All you have given me is only peripheral truth that I could have deducted myself. What I want is not in your compendium of knowledge."

"Knowledge has price, my friend," the bartender leaned over toward the stranger. "I do not know where to find the girl, but I know people who do."

The stranger pulled out a single bill showing three digits on the faces. "And who might these people be?"

The bartender took the bill from the stranger's hand and put it into his pocket. "You see the vagabonds at the back table? They were among the champions that foiled General Krauser's plan to take control of the Helic Republic. They are as close as you can be to the _Gilvader_."

The stranger turned around to see the customers referenced by the bartender. Four young men were sitting on a table at the farthest corner from the counter, seemingly oblivious to everything around them. Two of them were tall and lean, the rest were short but with an opposite built. One of them was stocky and rotund with a lot of hair covering every inch of his skin. The other was dainty, almost like a girl if not for his thin moustache. The second tallest one inspected the bar every now and then while the rest just relaxed in the company of alcohol. If they were in a military unit, it was not hard to figure out which one of them was the leader.

"Give them your best drink," the stranger gave the bartender another bill. "Make sure they know who sent it. In the mean time, give me a refill."

The bartender prepared drinks for everybody and sent a server to carry the drinks to the back table. The foursome's reaction was as expected: surprised, confused, then suspicious. They spent a good minute talking among themselves, then the second tallest vagabond got up and, as expected, approached the stranger at the counter.

"We appreciate the gesture," he said, "but we don't know what merit we hold in the eyes of a stranger. Care to elaborate, so we don't assume you are mistaken us as someone else?"

"I ask for one small service," the stranger turned around to face the man. "Do you know the whereabouts of the _Gilvader_?"

"What _Gilvader_?" the man replied apathetically. "_Gilvaders_ are extinct."

"I sense deceit in your words," the stranger stood up, standing almost as tall as the vagabond. "Perhaps you do not deserve the merit I assumed you were worthy of."

"And what is the purpose of this question of yours?" the vagabond replied. "What would the _Gilvader_ serve you, if such zoid still exist?"

"That is none of your business," the stranger replied. "We both know it _does_ exist, so let's not waste everybody's time and tell me where I can find it."

"Apologies, but you _are_ wasting your time," the vagabond smiled. His eyes were burning with rage, an obvious result of the stranger's insult, but his self control prevailed. "Your assumption that I know the answer to your question is wrong. None here is worth your effort, including me."

The vagabond turned around but the stranger called him out, "The girl, then. Give me the girl, and I will be on my way."

By this time, the remaining three vagabonds had noticed the argument between their friend and the stranger. They left the table and gathered behind their friend. The short hairy guy even carried a beer bottle and held it by its neck like a club.

"Him bothering you, Falco?" the tallest one said.

"No, just a lost wanderer," the guy called Falco turned back around to face the stranger. His eyes still burning, and he wasn't about to hold it any longer. "Who do you think you are? Why should we answer to you?"

"Perhaps a little persuasion is due," the stranger stripped his black cloth, revealing a pack of muscles. A tattoo of a black cat inside an inverted triangle was emblazoned on the stranger's upper arm.

"_Rottiger!_" the girly vagabond exclaimed. "Guylos Empire's hound dogs that conduct witch hunt all over Zi! What are you doing here in Helic Republic? You are out of your jurisdiction!"

"Correction, little man, it's Guylos Empire's Special Operation Force that conduct Neo Zenebas manhunt all over Zi," the stranger replied with much swagger in his voice. "And Rottiger's jurisdiction knows no boundary. Now pay attention, peasants! My name is Royce DesGagne. I am a captain in Rottiger Special Operation Force. Not complying with my investigation demand means opposing the Rottiger, thus shall and will be eliminated."

"You are looking for Neo Zenebas at the wrong place!" Falco snapped. "I told you before, you were wasting your time! This is Helic Republic territory and whatever you are looking for is not here!"

"And yet you refused to disclose the location of the _Gilvader_ or the pilot!" Royce snapped back. "You purposefully held the information from me, even after you know that I am a Rottiger agent!"

"Saskia is not a Neo Zenebas sympathizer!"

"Do you swear on your mother's grave?"

"Leave my mother out of this!" Falco made a dash but Royce slipped behind him with blinding speed. Falco pivoted but Royce buried his fist on Falco's lower back. A muffled sound escaped Falco's lips as his kidney throbbed. He dropped to his knees, and Royce locked his head in a choke-grip.

"So the legend is true," Royce hissed amidst Falco's gagging. "It's a girl piloting the _Gilvader_! Is that her name? Saskia?"

"Liberty of the bloke pronto!" the short hairy man whacked his bottle on the edge of a table and shoved the jagged edge at Royce. The Rottiger agent parried the attack without a sweat, then hooked his arms behind the short guy's head and slammed it onto the counter's table. The man slouched to the floor like a heap of flesh without bones.

"It behoves you to learn how to speak in proper manner before trying to hurt someone with a broken bottle," Royce gave up a sinister chuckle as he retrieved the bottle.

The other tall guy came to Falco's aid. He grabbed a chair and hurled it at Royce, but the Rottiger agent rolled backward, letting the chair crash into the unconscious body of the hairy man. The tall man grabbed another chair but before he had a chance to throw it Royce slid and kicked him in the knee. The tall man screamed as his leg instantaneously bent. He staggered to stand, but Royce leapt forward and slammed home a vicious hook to the jaw. The lanky body crashed to the floor.

The melee quickly turned the atmosphere into pandemonium. Customers stampeded out of the bar, and the girly guy, the last of the vagabond foursome, tried to slip away among other customers but Royce singled him out of the crowd. He grabbed the man's arm, twisted it behind his back, and forced him to lie down on the floor. Royce grabbed the broken bottle and pressed the jagged edge on his captive's throat, eliciting a horror cry from the effeminate man.

"Let's see if my demand is of your friend's worth," Royce grimaced.

"Let him go," Falco finally yielded. He staggered to get up. "I have not seen her in 5 years. She left Helic Republic for Eastern Continent. Check for ZOITEC or Zi Arms; she is a technician, she may find a job there. I swear that is everything I know!"

"I knew you would see it my way," Royce smiled and released his captive. He walked past the two unconscious men on the floor to grab his black shroud, then walked over the counter to give the bartender yet another large-amount bill. "Apologies. This is for the mess."

"Saskia is not Neo Zenebas!" Falco staggered to stand. "Why are you looking for her?"

"The nature of my mission is not for public domain," Royce sneered. "I am a Rottiger, and I have a mission to accomplish. Do not stand in my way. The consequences are severe. That's all you need to know."

With that, Royce walked out of the bar.


	2. Chapter 1: Unfortunate Contingence

**ONE**

**UNFORTUNATE CONTINGENCE**

**Review Corner**

**The Colonel****: **I'm excited! I look forward to it!

**Mobmal****: **I appreciate your enthusiasm. I hope you like this second part.

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><p><em><strong>ZOITEC Corporation,<br>**__**Eastern Continent, Planet Zi,  
><strong>__**October 15, 2127**_

The cafetaria had been Saskia's favorite place to escape when office nitty-gritty overwhelmed her. It was packed at lunch break but during regular hours it was empty like a morgue at night. There were plenty of rooms for Saskia to take some load off while she munched on snack and watched the TV. Most of the time it broadcast news around the Eastern Continent, but today it covered some political brouhaha from the Helic Republic. Marshal Diavel, the head of Helic Military, was scrutinized by the newly-elected Senate for alleged nepotism. Apparently his skyrocketing career was catapulted by his closeness to the President of The Helic Republic. How much of this was true, the Senate was working furiously to find out, although the Marshal fervently swore it was not the case.

Five years removed from the firestorm that almost tore Helic Republic apart from inside, Saskia found herself on top of her own league. Leaving a prodigious position in Helic Military in favor of saving her zoid, she went to the Eastern Continent and tried her luck at ZOITEC. Her hands-on experience with zoids when she was in the military helped her secure an engineering position at ZOITEC, and her do-or-die attitude gained favors from decision makers on the company. Within five years she commanded a lead engineer position at ZOITEC, with a windowed office and half a dozen workers reporting to her. It wasn't the life she always imagined, but she was content nonetheless. Besides, she wouldn't complain about the salary.

But she always wondered what would happen if she accepted Marshal Diavel's offer as a captain in the Air Division of Helic Military. She would live her passion to fly. Here at ZOITEC, she spent most of her time sitting in front of a computer, and got to fly only on weekend. Her _Gilvader_ had to stay on the ground for 5 - sometimes 6 - days a week, and the lack of action deteriorated its morale. Saskia started to worry that one day the big zoid would snap and go on a rampage.

However, she didn't have a choice. Marshal Diavel had made clear of his intention for the _Gilvader_, and this was the only way she got to keep it alive.

"Saskia," a shrilling male voice interrupted from her afternoon break, much to her chagrin. She knew of him from the structures laboratory. "I have produced the report you are waiting for but some trivial matters necessitate more in-depth discussion."

"In what regard?" Saskia was provoked.

"Suffice to say safety is the biggest shortcoming," the scientist pulled up a holo-video and put up a hologram of a zoid part in between him and Saskia. "This radius block will not hold its integrity if subjected to extreme compression load, and we both know this part trees up into construction zoids that is exposed to high load on daily basis. This part here…"

"The manufacturing unit does not have that luxury," Saskia snubbed the scientist's account. "They are in need of absolution today, so did you or did you not approve the design?"

"I approved it but with dozens of annotations…"

"That is enough assurance for them…"

"But Saskia, I must object to haste…"

"Further delay of this project will cost ZOITEC millions," Saskia rose from her chair. "So do you stand behind this design or do you care to elaborate the shortcomings to the manufacturing manager?"

"They have my full support," the scientist replied in a grumble.

"Should they believe your words or do you have something to validate your claim?"

"My report, signed and dated," the scientist handed in a folder to Saskia. "Evidence of shortcomings and the way to improvements are there, if they choose to do so."

"Gratitude," Saskia rushed back to her office, leaving the scientist dumfounded. She skimmed the report to make sure nothing glaring came out of the report that could stir an inter-agency war. Satisfied, she called her runner. "Kenny, it's Saskia. Meet me outside the lobby. I need something delivered in urgency."

"Three minutes," the guy on the other line responded quickly.

"Three minutes," Saskia cut off the phone link and took the stairs down to the lobby. She was just walked out of the door when a boy, ripe in his mid teen, rode his organoid up the sidewalk. The boy's bronze skin, partially covered with cut-off t-shirt and knee-length short, gleamed in the sun as he dismounted his metal pet. His brown shoulder-length hair danced in the wind, and his white cap shielded his eyes from the burning sunray, but his big round eyes and cocky smile were still visible. His organoid, a small Troodon-type metal dinosaur, nodded and chirped in enthusiasm.

Saskia never understood Kenny. His organoid could've helped him control a powerful zoid, or turn any zoid into a powerful one, and catapulted him into a legend like Van Flyheight. Yet Kenny used his organoid as a two-legged scooter, zipping around town delivering goods and messages, even food. He was good at that; he was fast and dependable, and he kept his promises. But an organoid wasn't meant to run around town as a delivery scooter, and his adamancy to do so made Saskia shake her head everytime she met him.

But she wasn't complaining. Kenny was very reliable in making sure people receive her delivery on time. Electronic messages and phone calls were often ignored by busy colleagues, but nobody would disregard a 7-foot metal dinosaur with a pushy teenager as its rider. Saskia relied on Kenny more than she did on her computer or phone, and the frequency of their interaction developed their relationship from patron-customer to brother and sister.

"What service can I offer you today?" Kenny approached Saskia with a grin.

"The ordinary," Saskia handed in the folder. "ZOITEC manufacturing unit needs this report. Make sure the manufacturing manager receives it before the day's closing."

"This is no ordinary request," Kenny quipped as he put the folder into his satchel. "The manufacturing plant lies at the far side of ZOITEC complex. Your demand necessitates Cleto to go full speed for an hour. This service requires extraordinary fare."

"As long as you deliver it on time," Saskia pulled a few bill from her wallet. "The manufacturing unit needs this document today to avoid financial forfeit."

"The irony of money," Kenny grinned as he snatched the money from Saskia's hand. "Can't live without it, can't live with it. Seems like we do everything for money instead of the life of our choosing."

"And what is the life of your choosing?" Saskia seized the opportunity to talk about his organoid. "Delivering goods for a fraction of money?"

"What of the life of my choosing?" Kenny sneered.

"What of it? You are blessed with an organoid, Kenny. Any organoid holds a purpose far greater than to run around the city delivering goods. Learn your history. Do you think Van Flyheight became a champion on his own merit? His organoid helped him during the first days of his career. If you choose to become a zoid pilot, your organoid can assist you to greatness, Kenny, just like Van Flyheight."

"Cleto?" Kenny grimaced, taking a good doubtfull look at his organoid. "I am well-versed in the life of Van Flyheight, but Cleto is no Zeke. He is too small and weak to command even the smallest zoid. I wish for the day when I climb into a zoid and battle the best this world has ever known, but today I am not blessed in such fashion."

"Is that a fact? Do you even know if it is a fact?"

"Do not address me as you would a miscreant who knows nothing about organoids, Saskia, because I am well-versed in that matter too. Cleto is not a zoid-controlling organoid. Of this I truly believe."

Saskia realized that further pressing the matter would only strain their relationship. She wisely took a step back. "Apologies. It is not my intention to pry into your private life, or alter your belief."

"None needed," Kenny smiled like his old cheerful self. "You are like a sister I never have, Saskia, and I treasure your courtesy for my regard. But my life is my own. I am a big boy. I can take care of myself. Now if you excuse me, I have to save ZOITEC from said financial catastrophe." He bowed and gave Saskia a fake salute, then walked back toward his organoid. "Come on, Cleto! We have a job to do."

Cleto the organoid lowered his stance and Kenny climbed up to his neck. The metal Troodon chirped and took off, kicking a cloud of dust at Saskia's face. Kenny made a quick wave before wrapping his arms around Cleto's neck as the organoid picked up speed.

Saskia could only smile. She imagined what would happen if Kenny realized the potential he had with Cleto. It wasn't that he was ill-informed. He knew what an organoid could do. He could be the next generation of Van Flyheight. It was just that the boy didn't believe in his own organoid. It made her itch. One of these days Saskia thought she would take Kenny and Cleto to the production line, borrow a zoid, then show them what an organoid could really do.

Thinking of zoids, Saskia remembered her own. She looked at the watch, called her supervisor that the project had been delivered to the manufacturing unit, then asked for an early afternoon off. She had been too immersed in this project that she had neglected her closest friend. It was time to make amends.

ZOITEC complex was an hour drive from Rose City, the small town Saskia called home, and the drive was horrendous during rush hour. At an early afternoon like this, only a few motorists shared the road with her. It was just under one hour when she pulled into the parking lot of a large hangar on the outskirt of Rose City. The moment she walked out of her car, an animated growl greeted her.

"I miss you too, Gilvy," Saskia entered the hangar to meet her zoid. The hangar used to house a _Whale King_, so the _Gilvader_ could fit inside with plenty of room to stretch out its wings. She bought the hangar cheap, and she transformed the control room into her bedroom. Nothing satisfied her more than waking up in the morning with the sight of her _Gilvader_ in the main hall. "Apoligies, but work had consumed me. The urgency of this particular project had sucked me dry. But it is done. This week is over for me. We can spend quite some time together. How does the stratosphere sound to you?"

The _Gilvader_ let out a series of short snarls. Saskia had been with it a long time to understand the language of her zoid. She understood that her zoid was as excited as she was, maybe even more.

"Are you warmed up?" she asked playfully.

Instead the _Gilvader_ lowered its head and popped open its hood. Saskia was about to climb up when she felt tremor in the ground. The _Gilvader_ roared and quickly raised its head as the tremor turned into a series of quakes. Its horns glowed in glorious purple hue. Saskia hadn't seen those horns in that state for 5 years, and the memory of General Krauser came back and seized her brain, so intense she felt her heart stop beating.

"Gilvy get out!" she screamed from the top of her lung.

But she knew the _Gilvader_ wouldn't listen. She knew the black dragon would rather stay and fight, even though doing so resulted in harm rather than solution. She could only watch haplessly as the quakes intensified, and within seconds two _Killerdomes_ busted out from the ground inside the hangar. The _Gilvader's_ head fell like a guillotine and the Maser horns split one _Killerdome_ like it was made from paper. The ensuing explosion destroyed windows and tossed around pebbles, furnitures, empty cans, anything within its reach.

The other _Killerdome, _however, opened its canopy to expose a weird-looking javelin gleaming in reddish light. Saskia didn't know what it was, but no known _Killerdome_ was equipped with it. She knew instantly that it was trouble for her _Gilvader_, but she was powerless to stop it. The javelin launched and stabbed the _Gilvader_ at the heart, just as the big zoid was about to jack-hammer the _Killerdome_ as it did the other one. Then something unimaginable happened. The _Gilvader's_ head snapped back, its body went limp, then crashed.

"Gilvy?" Saskia walked toward it in horror, a harrowing reminiscence of the time she walked into the cave to find her zoid for the first time. "Oh My God! Gilvy! What happened to you?"

The black dragon didn't show any sign of life, and Saskia ran toward her zoid as hard as she could, but another _Killerdome_ burst from the ground right between her and her zoid. The canopy popped open and four men covered in black lunged at her and tackled her to the ground. Saskia writhed and struggled as hard as she could, but the four men easily outwrestled her. They bound her hands behind her back and restrained her ankles together, then waited for the fifth men to climb out of the _Killerdome_.

At first Saskia thought it could be General Krauser, somehow surviving the 'crucifixion' by the Guardian Force at the end of his ill-fated upraising 5 years ago. Or it could be a loyal sympathizer of Krauer's. Or it might even be a Guylos or Neo Zenebas agent trying to steal her zoid. But when she smelled the stench of cigar, her heart sank. This was worse than Krauser or agents from the enemies of Helic Republic… much worse.

"I am a man of many names but what I am not is a liar," Fat Bob blew a cloud of smoke from his nose as he walked triumphantly toward the immobilized Saskia. "I told you to watch your back. It seems that a good position at ZOITEC had pampered you sloppy. Finding you is easy. Busting into here and beating that hound dog of yours is even easier."

"What have you done to Gilvy?" Saskia growled, trying vainly to get out of her restraint. "Did you kill it?"

"As much as I want to, I don't benefit from killing zoids," Fat Bob munched on his cigar. "Somebody had his eyes on this zoid."

"Look, I may know a few things to buy back Gilvy from you," Saskia spoke in desperation. "Name your price and let us go."

Fat Bob roared in laughter. "After all these years, your naivete still amuses me. To tell you the truth, the guy offered me wealth far beyond your comprehension. I could have been rich to the point everything else is pointless. But I spurned it. I denied my share. I did this for free." He knelt beside Saskia, who could only look at him with utter confusion. "_You_ are my prize. The guy can get his zoid. I get you." He slid off Saskia's shoes and grazed his fingers on the soles of her feet, eliciting a muffled groan from her. "Rest assures I will have a grand time with your tootsies, just like I did the last time. Only this time you are not going anywhere. My dungeon will be your home for the rest of your life."

Saskia grunted but a man put a bag on her head. Then they carried her inside the _Killerdome_. Saskia could only feel the hardness of the floor and acrid cigar stench in the air. Everything else was beyond her senses. Her eyes welled up with tears as she heard the hum of the engine intensified, then the floor trembled, a sure sign that the _Killerdome_ was on the move. Where to, she didn't have a clue. She just surrendered to her fate.


	3. Chapter 2: Muddled Water

**TWO**

**MUDDLED WATER**

**Review Corner**

**Mobmal: **If she gets no trouble, I don't have a story to tell :)

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><p><em><strong>Blue City,<br>**__**Eastern Continent, Planet Zi,  
><strong>__**November 15, 2127**_

In normal days Kenny made deliveries for Saskia every other day. Saskia's unwillingness to rely on electronic communication was close to legendary; Kenny was her first choice to send private messages or goods to colleagues all over ZOITEC plants. And it was not without reasons. Kenny was as assertive as Saskia, probably even more. ZOITEC employees that despised working with Saskia would ignore her calls or electronic messages, but they would readily accept her memo via Kenny just to make him go away.

Kenny loved Saskia, as a brother did a sister. She never once questioned his delivery fee. More often than not, she tipped him more than what he deserved. But money was not the reason behind their attachment. Saskia never saw him as a courier. She didn't use his service because he was good, although she wouldn't use him if he wasn't up to her standard. She recognized his industrious nature and decided to help him. _Hardwork shouldn't go to waste_, that was her answer to any inquiry on why she relied on Kenny. And Kenny returned her favor by making absolutely sure that her delivery was accepted, and acknowledged, by the intended individual.

So when suddenly Saskia stopped calling, Kenny became agitated. She hadn't called him for a month, the longest she had ever been absent. At first he was concerned. As her absence dragged on, concern became suspicion. Perhaps Saskia had employed another runner and was too coward to tell Kenny herself. He felt betrayed. When the lull reached the 20th day, Kenny knew something bad happened to her. Saskia was not the type of person who just went missing. It had happened before, but on those rare occasions she was caught up with bad people. And that was what Kenny was worried about.

"My eyes have not lain upon her for a month," Kenny told his girlfriend Roxy one day. "It is as if Mother Zi itself swallowed her. No calls, no message, nothing."

"She is an adult, is she not?" Roxy replied. Her carefree nature kept her composure. "She has a life absent you. She may be enjoying the gift of flesh with her boyfriend…"

"She does not have a boyfriend!" Kenny blurted.

"How do you know? Do you know it for a fact or is it the fruit of your imagination?" Roxy turned Kenny's face toward her. "For a 14-year-old, your obsession about an older woman starts to sound eerie."

"Mind your tongue, Roxy!" Kenny slapped Roxy's hand off his cheek. "I do not have obsession over Saskia! I am just worried that she is in trouble of some sort. Saskia is not somebody who does as she pleases absent notice. Her manner sprouts but responsibility and respect."

"My mind is trying to understand you but my tongue speaks for my heart," Roxy replied calmly, as if Kenny's outburst didn't bother her in the slightest. "You have filled your mind with thoughts of another woman instead of me."

"Apologies, I assure you my heart longs for no one else but you," Kenny mellowed out and wrapped his arms around Roxy. "But I am distraught over the disappearance of Saskia. She is a friend and a sister I never had. Would I stand idle when my sister is in trouble? Would you?"

"I wouldn't, but I would clear the matter before I make my action." Roxy said in a comforting tone. "Your heart is pure, but your mind is playing tricks on you. So if the burden of her loss consumed your heart, go and give her a visit. Give the woman a deserved chance of explanation."

Kenny took a step back to take a good look at his girlfriend. Roxy was a slender, petite girl with hair hanging loose halfway between her shoulder blades and her waist. At 14 years old, she was barely older than Kenny, but her calm demeanor and her wisdom betrayed her age. She was the source of Kenny's strength, especially in a situation like this when he didn't know where to look.

"What would I do without you?" Kenny said as he kissed her cheek.

"Now don't get sentimental before the job is done," Roxy replied with a wink. "Go visit your sister. When mind clear, come back to me."

* * *

><p>It was a bit strange to come to Saskia's office without a job to do. The size of the building was intimidating from the outside, but once Kenny went past the security guards, it was just a cubicle farm in the inside. Hundreds of engineers sat in front of computer screens in tedious uniformity. The sound of keyboards and mouse buttons drowned the voice of human beings. Everywhere he walked, the view was all the same.<p>

Kenny never understood how Saskia could stand working in the office. Looking at the same environment, the same people, the same room, the same tools everyday… He wouldn't last a week. Granted, she made more a day than he did a week, but sitting for hours in a confined room staring at a screen didn't sound exciting in the slightest. Kenny needed the thrill of speeding among cars on the street to keep alive. He would rather sit on the back of his organoid, Cleto, than getting fat in the office, regardless the money.

Kenny swerved between the cubicles toward Saskia's office, but was completely mortified to see a middle-aged man with a thick pair of glasses and a few strands of hair covering his balding head sitting on her chair. Kenny froze as he looked straight into the man's eyes.

"Who are you?" the man asked with malice in his voice. "What do you want?"

"Who are _you_?" Kenny replied. "Where is Saskia?"

"That wench doesn't work here anymore," the man huffed.

"Apologies?" Kenny couldn't believe his ears. "You called Saskia… what?"

"Put ears to work, scoundrel!" the man suddenly roared. "If she comes to presence, tell her that there's no need to show her face at ZOITEC anymore!"

"I have not laid eyes upon her in a month!" Kenny's assertiveness got the better of him. "I am standing here nothing but confused, and I am not leaving until I have an absolution!"

"This is no place for your kind!" the man hissed and grabbed his comset. "Security! Throw this lowlife out of the building!"

"Belay that demand; no need for security," an old woman came and tried to defuse the situation before it blew out of control. "I will escort this young man out."

"Never to show your ass up here again, or see yourself rot in jail!" the man hollered as the old lady tugged Kenny's hand. "Heed my words, you parasite!"

"What in the name of Zenebas is going on here?" Kenny blurted as the old lady escorted him off the office. He quickly added another entry to his list of not wanting to work in an office environment: horrible coworkers, or horrible bosses. "Who is that man? Why is he taking Saskia's office? And where is Saskia?"

"We are all in the same boat as you, Young Man," the old lady explained. "Saskia has not come to work for a month. All attempt to communicate with her ended up in vain. ZOITEC fired her and put that man in her stead. It was a shame. We all miss Saskia. She was the sun that made this office brilliant. That man undid every good thing Saskia brought upon us. But it was only logical, if you'd gone missing without words for a month."

"No eyes had lied upon her either?" Kenny frowned. "This is unlike her. I have known her for years. I know irresponsibility is not in her moral kaleidoscope. Is there anything to her I can use? Anything at all?"

"Aside from the last package you dropped on her desk, none exists."

Kenny's eyes widened. "Me? What package?"

"You mean… that wasn't you? When my eyes saw a young boy in her office, I assumed it was you."

"No! I have not done such service for her in a month!" For a second, the thought of Saskia having another runner materialized, and he felt betrayed again. How dare she got another runner and didn't tell him about it! But his resourcefulness quickly took over. That package was his opportunity to get to Saskia. "Where is the package?"

"What does your mind speak of?" the old lady stopped and cringed.

"Saskia only received packages through me. That one is clearly delivered to her by mistake. I will return it to the sender. Perhaps I can shed some light about her disappearance."

The old lady looked at him in the earnest, trying to decide if she would believe him or protect the package out of respect for Saskia. In the end any chance to get Saskia back was worth a try. She asked Kenny to wait in the hallway while she went back to the office. A brief moment later she came back with a small box in her hand.

"See it used, Young Man," the old lady said as he handed in the box. "We all seek Saskia's return."

"You have my words," Kenny replied. "Gratitude. I will not turn your kindness to waste."

But Kenny never meant to return the package. As soon as he left the office building, he ripped the package open to reveal a small holovideo. He pressed the play button, and a hologram of a woman's face materialized. He had never seen her before. She had short black hair, and her stare was as cold as ice.

"_Saskia, you may not know me, but I need your trust_," the woman's voice crackled through the small speaker. "_My name is Lieutenant Cassiopeia. I am a Rottiger agent. Somebody might be making an attempt at your life. If you value your life, come and meet me. I am not at the liberty to discuss it through this message, so I attach my coordinate. Please, come alone and tell no one. It is the only way I can guarantee your safety. Apologies for contacting you this way, but I know not any other path..._"

_Making attempt at her life_? Kenny's head was suddenly bombarded by questions. _Who is that woman? What is Rottiger? Who's making attempt at Saskia's life_? He knew that some people at ZOITEC were miffed by Saskia's unorthodox approach, but was it enough to harm her? But then again, the middle-aged man that replaced Saskia was uncouth and ruthless. There might be more to it than just office politics.

As the holovideo kept playing the message, Kenny sat down and tried to wrap himself around this new development. But the more he thought, the more headaches he got. He just sat there massaging his temples until the holovideo beeped, showing a map. For a moment he wagered the risk. He didn't know that woman on the holovideo. He didn't even know if this message was real. She could be the one making an attempt at Saskia's life. But it was his only chance, his only clue to get one step closer to Saskia. As dangerous as it sounded, he knew he had to take it.

"Roxy? Kenny," he called his girlfriend. "Something came up. Don't wait on me for dinner."

* * *

><p>The coordinate on the holovideo led Kenny and Cleto to an abandoned warehouse at the edge of Blue City. The nearest human settlement was half a mile away, and whatever happened at the warehouse would not be noticed. It was a perfect ambush site, and Kenny started to believe that coming here was a bad idea. Saskia might have been dead already. But he was there anyway, so he decided to brave the darkness and find some clues.<p>

"Open your eyes, Cleto," he said as he dismounted his organoid. "I need them as sharp as they can be."

Cleto replied with a series of chirp, but it quickly sensed something. The metal dinosaur was just about to move to that direction when a strand of chain whipped around its neck. The hook at the edge of the chain wrapped around itself, turning it into a noose. It caught Cleto's neck and pulled it down. The metal dinosaur slammed to the ground hard, tossing debris and broken glass all over the place.

"Cleto! Dammit!" Kenny turned around to help Cleto, writhing on the ground but unable to get off of the chain, when a shadow zipped right in front of him, blocking his way to his organoid. Kenny couldn't see what it was, but the dim light reflected on a piece of metal right under his chin. He didn't have to look down to figure out what it was.

"Who are you?" a hoarse male voice echoed in the abandoned warehouse.

"My name is Kenny. I am looking for a friend."

"What brought you here?"

Kenny held his breath. This guy was probably the one that the woman on the holovideo warned Saskia about.

"Your tongue denies me? My blade can put a hole in your throat, and I can obtain that information faster than your gasp for your last breath. So for the last time, Kenny, how did you know this place?"

Kenny didn't see any other way out. "A message for a friend. The holovideo is in my pocket."

The man rummaged Kenny's pocket and drew the holovideo out. He played the message, then retracted the blade, lifting the pressure on Kenny. Kenny stepped back and observed the man as the light from the hologram illuminated his face. He was tall, taller than Saskia, with blonde hair and dark icy blue eyes. His entire body was wrapped in a piece of black shroud.

"Where is she?" he asked without turning his back from Kenny. "Where is Lieutenant Cassiopeia?"

"I don't know…"

"How did you acquire this device?" the man turned around and put his dagger on Kenny's cheek. "Did she make contact with you?"

"No she did not!" Kenny blurted, a mix of panic and ire. "She assigned a runner to drop it off at Saskia's office! I have never seen Lieutenant Cassiopeia until this afternoon! What is happening here? Who are you? Who is Lieutenant Cassiopeia? Where is Saskia?"

"Saskia is missing?" the man retracted his blade once more.

"Has been, for the last month," Kenny explained, cautiously selected his words as not to agitate the man again. "I sought her in office but procured the holovid instead. That is the reason I am here; merely to seek friend. Are you seeking her too?"

The man drew a deep breath. "I am Captain Royce DesGagne, Rottiger Special Operation Force."

"Rottiger?" Kenny mumbled. "Isn't that woman on the holovideo from Rottiger, too?"

"Lieutenant Cassiopeia is a Rottiger outlaw," Royce walked toward the broken window. "She was my best subordinate, a thrifty and loyal compatriot. But she conducted illegal operations against Rottiger orders and claimed civilian casualties as a result. Rottiger discharged her without honor and now she was on a retaliatory mission against all Rottiger agents all around Zi."

"Oh my god," Kenny muttered in disbelief. "Then why Saskia? What does Saskia have to do with this?"

"Not Saskia," Royce turned around. "Lieutenant Cassiopeia is after her zoid."

"Saskia's _Gilvader_!" Kenny exclaimed. He had never seen the zoid before, but from what Saskia told him, he knew that the _Gilvader_ was some sort of Guylos legend that could easily put the strongest zoids to shame. "If Lieutenant Cassiopeia manages to acquire that zoid…"

"Then we have to make sure it does not happen!" Royce boomed. "You said you acquired this holovid at Saskia's office, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then there is a chance Cassiopeia had not gotten to Saskia yet. We have to get to her first. Where is Saskia's living quarter?"

"It lies in the other side of town, two hours on Cleto."

"See it done in one hour with mine," Royce retorted and made a short whistle. A deep growl emanated from the dark corner of the warehouse. Then something big moved. The big shadow rose to its gigantic feet and walked slowly and steadily toward Royce. It stopped just above Royce's head. The darkness covered most of the body, but the light from the stars was enough to reveal the head of the monster.

"A _Command Wolf_," Kenny chimed.

"You can go with me," Royce said as he climbed his zoid, "but your organoid stays."

"I can't…"

"It stays, or both of you keep up with me on foot."

Kenny sighed in defeat. "Stay here for the present, Cleto. I will not be long."

* * *

><p>Saskia's hangar was a complete disaster. Debris and dust covered the entire area, as if it hadn't been occupied for years. The bedroom was almost nonexistent, and only after Kenny and Royce moved a pile of wood planks they could see traces of Saskia's clothings. There was no signs of any zoid ever lived there.<p>

"Mother of Zi! What happened here? Did Lieutenant Cassiopeia come here first?" Kenny mumbled as he inspected the mess.

Royce didn't answer. He observed the place intently, looking for clues that might shed some light about what had happened. He circled the hangar several times before he finally stopped at a corner, picking up a piece of metal from the floor. He inspected that piece under the star light, then put it in his pocket. His face showed content.

"Zoid piece?" Kenny asked.

"Your service is no longer needed," Royce replied as he walked back toward his _Command Wolf_.

"Wait! Wait! What is it?" Kenny tried to stop him. "I brought you here! You are not to shut me out like this!"

Instead Royce threw a pile of money to the ground. "Your path ends here. Heed my words, young man. Go home, see the money used, and enjoy life if only for a while. This matter is not of your concern anymore."

"What? You crook! I must find Saskia!"

But the _Command Wolf_ let out a long howl, then receded into the night, leaving Kenny alone in the disarrayed hangar.


	4. Chapter 3: Trust

**THREE**

**TRUST**

**Note**: Happy New Year everybody!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Desert,<br>**__**Delpoi Continent, Planet Zi,  
><strong>__**December 5, 2127**_

Saskia still remembered this place, Fat Bob's _Hover Cargo_ that also served as his torture chamber. She was captured and tortured five years ago, then put in a _Demantis_ and hunted down in a demented hunting game by Fat Bob and his goons. Only her sheer dumb luck helped her escape Fat Bob's grip. She wondered what happened if she didn't come back with her _Gilvader_ to get the Gravity Cannons from Fat Bob. Perhaps it behoved her to just take her _Gilvader_ far away from Delpoi and forget about the ills he did to her. She wondered if the _Gilvader's_ Gravity Cannons were worth being locked up in this _Hover Cargo_ for the rest of her life – at least that was what Fat Bob said.

But it was not her own fate that debilitated her condition. She missed her _Gilvader_ mostly, and the fact that she lost contact with her beloved zoid made her miserable beyond comprehension. At first she still heard its roars as if calling for her, but after a few days everything went completely silent. She had a feeling her zoid was not with her anymore, and it troubled her the worst.

During this second tenure with Fat Bob's brigands, Saskia hardly saw the sun. The machine shop where she was "enslaved" to work was entrenched deep inside the belly of the _Hover Cargo_. Saskia was a daylight person. Being forced to not see the sunrays sucked the life of her bit by bit. Not two months removed from her abduction and her eyes had sunken deep into the sockets, her cheeks lost their sparkle and caved in into the cheekbones, and she looked like she was a lot older than she actually was.

Fat Bob certainly learnt from his mistake. This time Saskia was not exposed to any zoids at all. She was forced to haul zoid parts around, along with dozens other girls that he captured. At 175 lb, Saskia had enough muscles to carry herself through this hardship. Other captived girls, however, were overwhelmed by the 'slave' mill, and more often than not Saskia ended up carrying extra loads to help the other captives to meet the demand.

"Put hands in shoulder," Saskia wheezed as the girl in front of her succumbed to the overwhelming weight of her load. The girl was of a delicate frame, standing half a head shorter than Saskia, and with little to no muscle to carry her burden. "I still have spaces to carry half your load."

"No share loads!" Fat Bob's guard came and unfurled a leather belt to strike the fallen girl. This guard, a woman with tunic covering every inch of her body barring her eyes and her hands, stood over the fallen girl with arms cocked behind her shoulder. "Stand on feet and see the parts delivered, or see your skin stripped from flesh!"

"She has too much in her shoulder," Saskia tried to defend the girl. "Let me give assist…"

"Seize your tongue!" the guard woman turned to Saskia. "Interfere again and I shall see your feet condemned to madness by the company of guards!"

"See it done and you'll lose two girls!" Saskia dared to challenge the guard woman. The guard was not that much bigger than the fallen girl, so even with the yoke on her shoulder, Saskia still towered over her. "Fat Bob will not be impressed by your performance!"

"Who do you think you are, Slave?" the guard moved to Saskia, cocking her arms to lash her leather belt at the bigger girl. "What makes you worthy of talking to me that way?"

The sudden outburst quickly grabbed everybody's attention, including Fat Bob himself. Before the guard could strike Saskia with her leather strap, Fat Bob stepped in and held the guard's arm, refraining her from inflicting damages. "What is of this rumpus?"

"This captived slave disrespects the guards and causes delay and confusion!" the guard came out aggressively. "Let me torture this bitch until she chokes herself!"

"I merely expedite the conveyance of the parts," Saskia quickly rebuked, gambling over Fat Bob's use of the word 'delay'. "This girl has too much in her plate. I can share the load with her, see it smoothens the flow."

"She causes this delay!" the guards pressed on. "The line stops because of her!"

"Had you not interrupted me giving assist, the line would have still been running."

"We are behind schedule," Fat Bob turned to the guard. "See it done their way."

"That big one is not to be trusted!" the guard hissed at Fat Bob, referring to Saskia. "This is not the first time she defies authority and disrespects guards! Have her lashed, break her spirit!"

"We cannot afford losing her! She carries large load!"

"If we disregard her…"

"One more word and see your salary forfeited!" Fat Bob snarled at the guard. "Split the load on the weakling and add it to hers! Keep the line moving!"

"Yes, Sir," the guard nodded, although begrudgingly. She came to the fallen girl and did as told. Now that the weight had been reduced, the girl pulled herself up and started walking by herself.

"Good to see that common sense prevails over ego in this place," Saskia huffed as she picked up the extra load from the fallen girl.

But in a swift move, Fat Bob grabbed Saskia by the upper arm, forcing her to drop the extra load. "I see what you are doing, you wretch! You defy me and everything I hold true! If your hands are not as useful as they are now, I will see your feet raped by the guards until you choke on own tongue and your lung bursts! Soon you will make a mistake, and when you do, I will cherish every moment of it!"

The intensity of Fat Bob's words took Saskia aback. She believed him when he said he would make her life a living hell. As a matter of fact, he already did. But Saskia brought up the worst of him that she had never seen before, and she realized that from now on she had to watch her back. Fat Bob was waiting to hurt her.

"Gratitude," the girl that Saskia helped came back and helped her mounted the extra load – the load Saskia took from her. "My heart swells with joy at such kindness, but also fear. You make but one confrontation with the guards, those who shall take pleasure in hurting you."

"Pain no longer concerns me," Saskia scoffed. "The only thing I hold dear is far beyond these walls."

"It is best if you do," the girl said, sitting on the ground so she could nurture the soles of her feet. Her arches were red and contorted; a sign of severe torture not too long ago. "The guards have affinity for feet agony. It hurts like a thousand needles. If you value your feet, do not cross path with the guards anymore. I am not worthy of your toes."

Saskia sat by her and inspected the bruises. Of course she knew what it was like to be tortured by Fat Bob's guards. "I escaped from this hell five years ago," she sighed as she rubbed the girl's sole. "I know everything there is to know about those guards. I had what you had."

"You've been in this place?" the girl blurted. "How did you escape? Why did you come back?"

"I escaped riding Fat Bob's misjudgment and my own luck," Saskia smiled ironically as she relived the memory. "I came back because obviously I have no mind outside making grievance with Fat Bob. I stole something from him."

"The _Gilvader_!" the girl chimed, eyes opened wide.

"No, not him. The weapons. The compact Gravity Cannons. I came back to rob Fat Bob from his prized Gravity Cannons, because I wanted those cannons on my zoid. Perhaps I shouldn't have; Gilvy and I would have still been together without the Gravity Cannons. But no purpose in crying over spilled milk; now only grief swells within me. Gilvy has been absent for a long time. It takes away the spirit in me."

"Put heart to rest," the girl replied while leaning on the wall. "It was of legends of old. No one fancies the demise of such zoid. Not even the Neo Zenebas."

"Neo Zenebas?" Saskia pricked her head. "_Gilvader_ is a Guylos by design. How did you come upon Neo Zenebas?"

"I overheard," the girl lowered her voice lest the guards heard their conversation, "Fat Bob sold the _Gilvader_ to Emperor Wolff Muroa."

"Wolff Muroa? Are you certain?" Saskia cringed. "To what cost?"

"I don't know. If they did discuss the transaction, it slipped from my attention."

"It makes no sense!" Saskia mused. "Neo Zenebas is being driven to extinction. Agents from Helic Republic and Guylos Empire are hunting down the remants of Neo Zenebas Empire. How can one _Gilvader_ alter the fate of Neo Zenebas? Is Wolff Muroa primed to step in the footprints of Prozen or Hiltz?"

"It may not be about vengeance or an effort to save Neo Zenebas," the girl tried to keep up with Saskia's reasoning. "It might be all about money."

"No matter," the information gave Saskia a new vigor. "What's important is now I know where to find my _Gilvader_. I am in acquaintance with Miss Mio, the daughter of the President of Helic Republic, who holds lunch meetings with the daughter of Wolff Muroa. I shall request the attention of Miss Mio to ask Empress Muroa about the whereabouts of the _Gilvader_."

"Apologies? Have you lost mind?" the girl shrunk, shooting an incredulous stare at Saskia. "Are you insinuating that you are breaking out of here?"

"My zoid was ripped from my grasp, and I will get it back!" Saskia rose to her feet. "I know this accursed _Hover Cargo _well_._ I will see myself out of here, and I will hear the voice of my zoid in greeting longed for."

Saskia was ready to get back to work, but the girl grabbed her arms. "Please," she begged, "do not do this. You have made too many enemies in this place. Their eyes are on you, and they will be delighted to put you in misery if you so much make one tiniest offense in any regard. Please, put reason to mind. Nothing is worthy of the suffering."

"Gilvy is worthy of all suffering," Saskia tapped the girl's hand in assurance. "I bless the fate you share your knowledge about Fat Bob and Wolff Muroa…"

"I curse my knowledge if it so much cause you pain!" the girl clenched her hands on Saskia's arms. "Please, I beg you, do not do this..."

"I will be alright," Saskia forged a smile. "I will get my zoid back. Then I will come back and lay waste of this caravan. This time Fat Bob's derangement will meet its end."

* * *

><p>It had been 5 years since Saskia was entrapped in Fat Bob's <em>Hover Cargo<em>, but nothing much changed. It took her two days to map out the guards positions and rotations. She noted every hole in the guards' position, and carved a parth through the least observed corners. Since she didn't have access to see the upper section of the _Hover Cargo_, she would have to do it by memory. But looking at how things changed little at the bottom part, she thought she could rely on a guess that the upper section didn't change much either.

So when her shift was over and the captives were escorted to their bunks, Saskia watched for the guards, waiting for one of them to expose her back at her. The second it happened, she dove straight under a pile of crates. The guards never realized that she had gone missing, but Saskia knew it wouldn't be for long. She knew she didn't want to be around when they found out she fell out of formation.

When the procession passed, Saskia darted toward the farthest stair of the hallway. Being barefoot helped her move stealthily without much sound. She climbed fast, coming into the hangar from behind the coolant tank. A few technicians were working on a couple of zoids. The third zoid, a _Killerdome_, leisurely rested at the far corner of the hangar. As overwhelming the temptation to slid into the _Killerdome_ cockpit and bolt out of the hangar was, Saskia knew she was not a good zoid pilot. The _Gilvader_ had been the only zoid she ever piloted for more than 5 years, and although she had matured a lot, she wouldn't risk her life on it.

So she decided to disregard all zoids and escape on foot. The repercussion was grave. She didn't know where the caravan was, and she could end up in the desert with no water, no food, and no means of transportation whatsoever. But it was better than gambling with zoids. She tiptoed behind the tank, trying to break free but the technicians just wouldn't leave the zoids alone. She became restless, knowing that the guards downstairs could find out about her disappearance any minute now. She had to leave soon.

Desperate, Saskia grabbed a small screwdriver that was carelessly left out of the toolbox, then pried a gasket off the coolant tank. Green liquid oozed from the tank, and the pressure from the coolant finally busted the gasket. The floor was flooded with coolant, and the situation quickly got the attention of the technicians.

As the techs scrambled the floor to fix the leak, Saskia burst into sprint toward the hangar door. There was still daylight left outside, and the blinding light from the sand confirmed her suggestion that they were indeed in a desert. The setting sun on the horizon gave her a glimmer of hope that she didn't have to wander in the desert in the scorching heat. Saskia shielded her eyes as she ran as fast as she could down the ramp, trying to find a place where she could hide, but as her eyes adjusted to the bright surroundings, she watched in horror as she almost bumped into Fat Bob and half a dozen guards – male guards – at the bottom of the ramp.

As if Fat Bob knew she was making a breakout.

"The fool of a Republic dog!" Fat Bob sneered as the guards immobilized Saskia down the ramp. "Can't use head for once, even to save own life! Didn't I tell you I would accrue your agony for making a mistake? You just had to contest my words! You are but a glutton for punishment!"

"You bastard!" Saskia squirmed, but she was no match against the guards. "You stole my zoid!"

"As you did my guns."

"Do not put your loss on equal footing! I did not kill you to take possession of them! You, you tried to kill me!"

"Speak like a split-tongued snake," Fat Bob crouched next to her. "People I killed deserve death, because let live, they stab you in the back." Fat Bob snapped his fingers, and two female guards dragged the girl Saskia helped. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she made the best effort not to look Saskia in the eyes.

"Apologies," she whimpered. "Apologies, but I couldn't' take it anymore..."

For a second Saskia felt the burning urge to lunged and beat up the girl to pulp. But looking at her shaking knees and staggering stance, leaning on the two female guards for support, Saskia realized that this was not a case of betrayal. The guards must have seen them talking and they gave the poor girl hell to spill out the essence of their conversation.

"Now speak of the truth, young lady," Fat Bob drew a pistol and put the barrel on the girl's temple. "Does she deserve to die?"

"No one deserves to die by your hands," Saskia hissed.

"Not after her betrayal?" Fat Bob cocked the gun. "Give words and your debt is paid."

"No." Saskia dared to look Fat Bob in the eyes. "Never."

"A choice, then. She dies and you go back to the cell as if nothing happened. She lives, and you get what she had, ten fold. Keep in mind that a few of my guards are eager to see you suffer. Choose well for your own sake."

It didn't take a second for Saskia to decide, "You are not killing anybody, not when I can stop it."

"Fine," Fat Bob uncocked the gun and holstered it back. "I hope you can live with it."

The female guards dragged the girl back into the _Hover Cargo_. The male guards forced Saskia to stand, bound her hands behind her back, then ushered her into the _Hover Cargo_. But instead of the lower level, they took Saskia to a different room where two female guards have been waiting. Their tunic concealed their expression as linen covered their bodies from head to toe, but their eyes dispelled their excitement.

Saskia knew it was going to be a very long night.


	5. Chapter 4: Fusion

**FOUR**

**FUSION**

**Review Corner**

**Mobmal****: **It doesn't matter what she chooses; the other girl "betrays" her, so she's screwed either way. Thanks for your continuing support!

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><p><em><strong>Blue City,<br>**__**Eastern Continent, Planet Zi,  
><strong>__**December 6, 2127**_

The encounter with Royce, the self-proclaimed Special Operation agent from Guylos Empire, had left Kenny even more distraught. The half-truth he unveiled didn't bring him absolution, only more confusion to the already cloudy matter. He started to have withdrawals, and his attitude change deeply concerned his girlfriend. So she took him on a nice dinner and a long walk by the river afterwards.

"Your demeanor is disquieting," Roxy said after a long walk quiet walk by the river. "You have been avoiding affection as of late."

"I'm alright," Kenny responded halfheartedly.

"Of course you are," Roxy snuffed. "Why would you not be? You reserve the deepest, most passionate thoughts for yourself, but spill bile and bellyache at me. Do your eyes see me as an equal, or a mere play doll worthy of a punching bag?"

Kenny was taken aback by Roxy's sarcasm. He realized that his mind had been too preoccupied by Saskia to notice that Roxy had been suffering because of it. She had been understanding about his behavior for some time, but he realized she started getting restless about him. It was a bad choice in his part to keep her in that situation for a long time. Perhaps it was time to come clear and stop chasing the demon.

"Apologies," he said morosely. "My attitude is not something to be desired, and amend is due."

"What happens to you?" Roxy asked; her tone mellowed out. "Does that woman still bear meaning in your mind?"

"Not more than daily musing," Kenny replied carefully so as not to put Roxy into a fit of jealousy. "But my last stumble upon the matter left me all but vexed."

"Why did you hold tongue from me?"

"Because it is about Saskia, and I am not one to cause you grief. My words still bears truth; I am not thinking about her, not in a romantic way. But things had turned worse. Weird, abominable things. I stand far awayfrom giving you ill. I might be a fool, but a fool who loves you. What measures a man blessed with girlfriend like you?"

Roxy stopped and turned to gave Kenny a hug. "Amend well received, but I am twice the fool who bears with a fool's foolishness. I am but your girl, Kenny. Girls listen. That is what we do best. We may not solve problems but we lighten burdens at the very least."

"I fear my plight will stir jealousy in your heart," Kenny murmured.

"Perhaps, but it stirs greater pain to see you in misery. Now come sit by me. You are to put an end to this wretchedness of yours."

Kenny acknowledged his stupidity and luck having a girlfriend like Roxy. Normal girl would've left him for his first sign of concern about Saskia, but Roxy tolerated his immaturity with levity and grace. He felt ashamed and grateful at the same time. He felt bad for giving Roxy a hard time, and he swore that it was the last time he ever did something like that.

"Well, I went to Saskia's office," Kenny sat on a bench on the river bend, hands curling around Roxy's shoulder. "She had a delivery, forgotten by her absence. It was a warning for her, saying somebody was after her life."

"Saskia is marked for death?" Roxy's eyes bugged out. "What is she dealing with? Drugs? Dirty money? Smuggled zoids? Give me your words to stay away from this matter, Kenny. I do not want you to get hurt."

"I don't know, but things turned even more complicated," Kenny sighed, ignoring Roxy's last comment. "The message included an address, a meeting point to elaborate the matter. I checked the place but she was not there. Instead…"

"Went?" Roxy's pitch turned several notches higher. She was an easygoing teen who rarely got agitated, but Kenny's story started to bother her. "Did you lose mind? It could be a trap, and you could be dead!"

"Yet it wasn't, and I was alright," Kenny rebuked. "But that was where everything headed for a nasty turn. The message for Saskia was delivered by a woman. Yet it was a man waiting at that place, claiming he was…"

Kenny's words after that were swallowed by a loud swishing sound from the river. A massive shadow emerged, followed by a low grunt that seemed like belched from the underworld. It was a zoid in the shape of a lion, with eyes flashing in bright orange and teeth gleaming in dim light. Its tail jutted out like a broadsword, though the placement of the sword as the zoid's tail rendered it mostly useless.

"What in the…?" Kenny shot up and shielded Roxy from the beast, and his heart almost stopped beating, seeing the beast lunging at them. "Run! Run! RUN!"

The couple made a mad dash but the zoid easily outpaced them. The snout hovered over them and nudged Kenny on the back. It was not a killing blow, but the force pushed Kenny down rolling on the ground, almost crossing the street. Ignoring pain from rashes, he went back up only to see Roxy screaming and writhing at the mouth of the zoid.

"Oh My God! Roxy!" he screamed and – not knowing what else to do – charged the zoid. But the zoid turned to him. Kenny stopped, looking straight into the zoid's eyes, then stepped back as the zoid advanced toward him. Roxy was still screaming and crying bloody murder, but it was more of a panic one than death. The way the zoid held her in its mouth was gentle enough that she was not stabbed or crushed.

For one second Kenny started to believe that he was actually the beast's main target, and Roxy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it was the last thing that came to his mind, seconds before the zoid's paw flew at him. Then everything went dark.

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><p>Kenny woke up with a massive throbbing in his head. It took him a while to finally put his eyes to work, even though the environment was dark with a small bonfire served as the only source of light. The reflection on the glass prompted him with the fact that he was inside a building, a very large building with a lot of windows. And a quick glance over his shoulders made him recognize the place.<p>

He was at Saskia's hangar.

The second thing he noticed was that he was sitting on the ground, hands tied behind his back, legs spread forward with ankles secured on anchors. Somebody else was tied back to back against him. It didn't take long for him to recognize Roxy. The smell of her shampoo was easy to notice.

"Roxy?" he called. "Are you alright?"

"Oh My God, Kenny!" Roxy sobbed as she writhed against her bonds. "Where are we? What is going on? Are we going to die?"

"I don't know," Kenny tried to break free from his bondage, but his wrists were secured tightly against Roxy's. Desperate, he twisted around to find somebody responsible for their capture, and his eyes landed on a slender figure next to the bonfire. It was a woman with short dark hair, wearing denim jacket and short, and knee-high boots. The lion-type zoid that attacked them, presumably hers, sat leisurely but vigilantly in the distance.

Kenny recognized her ice-cold stare, and it immediately gave him goosebumps.

"You!" he said nervously. "Lieutenant Cassiopeia!"

"Who? Do you know her?" Roxy squirmed in discomfort. "Who is she? Is she going to kill us?"

"She is… She is…" Kenny tried hard to dig the information about her at the back of his mind. "She is a dishonored Rottiger agent… She is trying to steal Saskia's zoid…."

"You speak absent truth, yet your words spread the curse of knowing too much," Cassiopeia kneeled next to Kenny, forcing him to look into her eyes. "A curse for both of us that you have met Royce DesGagne before me."

"Curse?" Kenny blurted. "I bless the fates that I met him first! Where is Saskia? What have you done to her?"

"Where is Saskia?" Cassiopeia replied with a curt snigger. "A question longed answered by all! Where is Saskia? Too bad, you may have led Royce to her. Now we may never see her again."

"Captain Royce DesGagne is trying to protect Saskia from you!" Kenny snarled.

"Royce DesGagne is no longer a Captain in Rottiger rank!" Cassiopeia suddenly turned dark. "He had been discharged without honor, both from Rottiger and Guylos Empire Military!"

"How dare you twist his words!"

"Twist his words?" Cassiopeia grabbed Kenny's long hair. "You don't even know which words hold truth! You can't distinguish truth from lies! And yet you flap your tongue like you know what direction to take to find Saskia! You want the truth?" She stood up and grabbed a long piece of wood from the bonfire, one with red-hot ember at the other end. "Pain brings truth. Now put tongue to work: where is Royce going?"

"I… I… I don't know," Kenny stammered.

"Either you are very brave or very stupid," Cassiopeia held the ember closer to Kenny's feet. The ember was still far from his skin but he already felt the heat up to his spine. He twisted and retracted his legs vigorously but the anchors secured them in position. Any attempt to set them free ended up futile.

"I don't know! I don't know! I don't know!" he cried, shaking and trembling with fear. "Royce DesGagne withheld everything from me barring your disgraced career with Rottiger! I swear that is the truth!"

"The purpose of your suffering is absent," Cassiopeia held the ember closer to Kenny's feet, almost touching the skin of his soles. "Do you think Royce will note your pain as worthy of cause? Do you think he will come back for gratitude? By own words: he withheld everything from you. He regards you as a mere tool for his ambition. Now extend your knowledge: where is Royce going?"

Kenny felt as if his skin was already peeling off his feet. It felt like his entire body was consumed by fire. The heat was unbearable, and the only thing coming out of his mouth was agonizing cries.

"Please Kenny, give her what she wants," Roxy sobbed pleadingly. "Just give her what she wants so we can go home…"

"You speak out of turn," Cassiopeia stood and turned to Roxy. "Perhaps you can loosen up tongue."

"But I don't know anything," Roxy cried in complete terror.

"We'll see it confirmed shortly," Cassiopeia replied with a sadistic smile in her face.

From Kenny's position it was hard to see what Cassiopeia did to Roxy. But in a matter of minutes Roxy started to twitch, writhe, squirm and thrash about, wailing and crying out in the process. As much pain as Kenny could endure, it was more tormenting to see Roxy getting the same treatment. He couldn't let her have it, not if everything was caused by him.

"Stop! Please, stop! I told you everything!" Kenny howled from the top of his lung, overpowering Roxy's agonizing cries. "I told you everything! I escorted Royce to this place, then he left me absent saying! That is the truth! Please, let her go. She has nothing to do with everything!"

Cassiopeia moved to Kenny's right. "He just took off? Did he take anything?"

"I don't know."

"Put head to use, or see your girlfriend suffer for it."

"I don't know!" Kenny tried hard to relive his encounter with Royce. "Something from the ground, like a bit of…"

"Zoid piece," Cassiopeia finished Kenny's sentence. She got up and walked around the hangar, eyes peeled to the ground. She amassed several pieces of zoid armor and piled it up next to the bonfire. "What is of these pieces? How can they bestow Royce with the gift of what to do?"

"I don't know, I swear I don't know," Kenny said, half pleading.

"These are _Killerdome_ armors," Cassiopeia continued after inspecting the pieces. "Does Saskia have a _Killerdome_?"

"No, Saskia owns but one zoid. The only one that yields to her command. The only one she ever loves."

"So this _Killerdome_ pushed its way into here, fought the _Gilvader_, and was destroyed," Cassiopeia mused. "Who benefits in Saskia being dead?"

"Seriously? You ask for that?" Kenny put up a little spark. "Do you know how much a _Gilvader_ is worth in the black market?"

"This intrusion is not something of wealth," Cassiopeia rebuked. "It is laden with malice. Somebody intended to kill Saskia, even long before Royce had his nose on her. And now Royce is on his trail."

"How did you guess that from a pile of zoid junks?" Kenny squinted.

"I am Lieutenant Cassiopeia, Rottiger Special Operation Force. I am trained to hunt down the remnants of Neo Zenebas Empire with as few hints as possible… like these armor pieces," Cassiopeia sat on the ground in front of the _Killerdome_ armor. "I spent years profiling criminals by their choice of zoids and weaponry."

"So if you're with Rottiger, whose side is Royce on?"

"Royce DesGagne is…" Cassiopeia sighed, "… was a Rottiger champion of merit and commendation. He was my captain, my superior, my mentor, and my best consort. He led Rottiger to victories in barren lands, against Neo Zenebas criminals long wanted by both Helic Republic and Guylos Empire. His cunning was sharper than any zoid's blade, and his leadership was something to be desired by new recruits.

"But as great a man Royce was, he was not absent flaws. He was obsessed to fuse with an Ultimate Zoid, a legendary zoid worthy of a small army."

"To fuse?" Kenny thought he heard it wrong. "You mean… to be union with the zoid?"

"As an organoid does," Cassiopeia confirmed it. "His obsession became toxic; we were the best companions in love and war, but his obsession parted us, and the distance grew with his budding fascination toward the Ultimate Zoid. A fusion experiment with a white _Liger Zero_ believed to be the Ultimate Zoid turned fatal and put doom to his career. He was discharged dishonorably from Rottiger and Guylos Empire Military service.

"Then he learnt about the turmoil in Helic Republic and the _Gilvader_ that prevented General Krauser to establish a military regime. He set out for a hunt, thinking that he could see his fortune rise with the _Gilvader_. But his failure with _Liger Zero_ cost Rottiger half a dozen agents; think how many lives would cease if he mess around with a _Gilvader_. Half the continent would pay for his sin. My mission is to stop his union with the _Gilvader_."

It was not easy for Kenny to force down Cassiopeia's explanation. Two different sides slinging mud at each other - which one told the truth? Royce was more discreet but less upfront with him, if he was upfront at all. Cassiopeia was more brutal and sadistic in her approach, but she didn't hold back information. That last quality of the lieutenant ultimately helped Kenny decided that he would take Cassiopeia's side… at least for now.

"So you are not making attempt at Saskia?" he asked carefully.

"No, and neither is Royce presently," Cassiopeia held a piece of _Killerdome_ armor. "I am after Royce, and Royce is after whoever sells this piece, because he shall show the path to the _Gilvader_."

"I can assist you finding some zoid traders around Blue City that sells _Killerdomes_," Kenny said. "Royce is acting alone. With my hand, you may cut him off."

"Kenny? What is the meaning of this?" Roxy, who had been silent for a while, suddenly rose to object to Kenny's offering. "You gave words to stay away from this matter!"

"I lend my arm, but I shall have my exchange," Kenny continued. "See Roxy safe and sound, and you are never to lay arms on her again!"

"Word for word," Cassiopeia said as she cut off Kenny's bondage. "I will see her unharmed, not by me, not by anybody."

"Oh My God, Roxy are you alright?" Kenny lunged at Roxy as soon as he was freed. He hugged her closely, then checked her from head to toes. All is in good order; he didn't see any scratch or burnt mark on her.

"I am fine," Roxy sobbed and whimpered. "Let's just go home and disown this misadventure, okay?"

"I gave the lieutenant my word," Kenny said. "You will not be touched by anybody as long as I assist her. I will fetch her to zoid traders, then it is done."

"Then I come with you."

"No, Roxy, stay behind…"

"She'd better come along," Cassiopeia interjected. "It is easier to keep eyes on her if she is near."

"Do not overstep our agreement!" Kenny sneered at Cassiopeia. "You give words to protect her!"

"My end is to keep her safe," Cassiopeia replied casually. "We did not agree on places."

"Rottiger cheat! I trust in your honor but you put my good intention to mockery!" Kenny started to feel that Cassiopeia was trying to exploit his good will. "Roxy stays behind, and that's that!"

"Very well, but I am moving out, and so are you," Cassiopeia started walking toward her zoid. "Who will look after her if you and I are on venture?"

"Damn it all to hell!" Kenny groaned in exasperation, but realized that he was short of negotiation skill. He thought he was doing Roxy a favor, but it turned out he just put her in danger since now she had to come along with Cassiopeia, a stranger who had no inhibition in hurting people to get what she wanted. "Apologies," he said to Roxy. "I am a fool, and I put you in harm's way."

"It's alright, Kenny, see it done," Roxy chimed. "I shall take care of myself."

"Fine, but I'm taking Cleto," Kenny said forcefully, making sure Cassiopeia heard him.

"We've never agreed on Cleto," Cassiopeia replied curtly. "Who is Cleto?"

"My organoid."

"You have an organoid?" Cassiopeia turned around. "So where is your zoid?"

"I have none. Cleto is all I have."

Cassiopeia looked at Kenny like he was coming from another planet. "An organoid absent zoid? What life are you leading, you delusional noob?"

"No matter," Kenny huffed. "Since you have shown me that you are not to be trusted, Roxy and I shall be on Cleto. You shall ride your own."

Cassiopeia shook her head in disbelief, then continued to walk toward her zoid. "Your organoid is your own," she mumbled disparagingly. "See it used to your liking."


End file.
